I Think You're Pretty
by Lady Dudley
Summary: Some fluff/banter between Michael and Jackie during the episode "Secrets." Sort of a Michael version of "Sweet Dreams." *New chapter added*
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Just a little one-shot I thought of for the episode "Secrets." This is the night after Michael's been punched out and Jackie was promoted :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**_I Think You're Pretty_  
**

"I'm sorry," Michael said for what felt like the millionth time as Jackie came to join him on the couch.

"Michael, if you tell me you're sorry one more time..." she threatened playfully as she handed him a cup of coffee.

"I just feel like I've ruined your evening," he continued apologetically.

"Well you have," Jackie informed him bluntly, a teasing glint in her eye, "the possibility of you falling asleep and never waking up was _not_ how I planned to spend the night celebrating my promotion."

He chuckled slightly at her teasing, "Well, _Sergeant_, I do apologise for being given a concussion. I'll try not to let it happen again."

"See that you do," she told him with mock severity, "we don't want any more bruises marring that pretty face of yours now do we?" she added, dropping the severe tone and grinning.

"Are you calling me pretty Sergeant?" he teased in return.

At Jackie's trapped expression Michael burst out laughing.

"You're lucky you have a concussion, _sir_, or I'd hit you with a pillow," she told him, trying to cover her embarrassment.

At her comment Michael's laughter finally died down and her regarded her, a hint of amusement and mischief in his eyes.

"Ah now, you see that? _That_ is what gets you into trouble, Michael," she said pointing to his face before he could say anything.

His expression turned quizzical, "What?"

"That little half schoolboy smile," she said wagging her finger at him playfully.

"Are you saying you're affected by my boyish charm?" he asked, smothering a smile.

Jackie suppressed a giggle, "Boyish charm?" she teased.

Michael grinned at her, "Don't worry, Jackie, it's all right if you are," he told her, leaning in closer, "because I think you're pretty too," he whispered in her ear.

Jackie raised an eyebrow to cover how affected she was by his closeness, if not his words. "I was wondering when those drugs they gave you were going to kick in," she said dryly.

Michael gave her a mock hurt look as he pulled away, "You don't think that I think you're pretty?" he asked, looking (and sounding) rather muddled.

Jackie smiled, "I appreciate the compliment, Michael, but perhaps it's time you went to bed," she suggested. Gently she took Michael's coffee cup and placed in on the table before helping him to his feet and leading him to bed.

"I'm going to owe you for this," Michael told her as she helped him into bed, grateful that he'd all ready changed into something more conducive for sleeping in beforehand.

"You better believe it, Michael," she agreed, "drugs or no drugs; I'm going to hold you to that."

After she was sure he was settled she made her way out of the room, "Good night Michael," she said quietly as she left the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

"Good night Jackie," he replied sleepily, "and thank you," he added so quietly she almost didn't catch it.

"You're welcome," she said with a small smile as she watched him drift off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I decided I couldn't leave it where I did, so this is the next morning :) This is loosely based on the breakfast scene in the _Castle_ episode "Boom!" I apologise that it's a bit short, but I hope you like it anyway :)**

Michael woke up slowly and groaned; he was about to roll over and go back to sleep when the sound of someone moving around alerted him to the fact that Jackie was awake.

He smiled a little, pleased that his half remembered dreams about her checking on him during the night weren't just drug induced fantasies. Heaving himself out of bed he groggily made his way to the kitchen.

He stopped short when he caught sight of Jackie, freshly showered and dressed, moving around the kitchen cooking them both breakfast.

Two glasses of orange juice sat on his kitchen bench accompanied by cutlery and plates. He watched as she dished out some bacon into a serving bowl next to one containing eggs.

She looked so natural in his kitchen, almost like she belonged there, that he found himself drifting off into some sort of domestic fantasy where she really _did_ belong.

She glanced up and caught him watching her.

"I...uh...hope you don't mind...?" she began, looking a little flustered, breaking him from his potentially dangerous thoughts.

Michael shook his head, absently rubbing one of his eyes as he entered the room, "Not at all, I was just coming to check that you weren't burning my house down," he teased, reaching out to take a piece of the bacon.

He pouted as she slapped his hand away playfully with the spatula. "You insult my cooking and then think you can just steal some?" she teased.

"I wasn't going to eat anything, I was just going to move it out of your way," he defended. She rolled her eyes as she turned to attend to the kettle that had just boiled.

As she made their coffee he snuck a piece of bacon, but his hopes of her not noticing were dashed as she turned around and he was forced to shove the whole piece in his mouth.

"Here's your coffee," she told him, handing him the cup.

He took the proffered cup, trying desperately not to let on that his mouth was on fire – man that bacon was hot!

She eyed him suspiciously, "Michael Jardine did you just steal some bacon?"

He nodded guiltily as he finally managed to swallow it, sucking in a huge breath of blessedly cool air as he did so. Jackie just shook her head, "Serves you right, I told you not to steal any."

He made a face at her as he took a sip of his orange juice in a further attempt to cool his mouth down. "You didn't tell me it would be _that_ hot," he countered once he was able to locate his voice.

"Michael, you saw me put it on the plate, straight from the stove top, what did you think it would be?" she demanded.

Michael chose to ignore her comment as he eyed the rest of the food she'd prepared in mock suspicion, "What else have you got here to kill me with?" he asked.

She stuck her tongue out at him, "You won't be getting any breakfast if you're going to take that attitude," she countered. "What would Taggart say if he found out you didn't have any breakfast?" she asked sweetly.

"What would he say if he found out you'd made it for me?" he countered, just as sweetly.

"Touché," she conceded as she went to serve him his breakfast. "I guess we'll just have to keep this as our little secret," she told him, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"I guess we will," he agreed, stealing another piece of bacon which made Jackie laugh.

Watching her laugh brought back some of those fantasies that he had been entertaining when he first entered the kitchen and Michael reflected that he could very easily get used to waking up to Jackie every morning.


End file.
